


The Jock and the Coed

by Calico_Cat_TIVA_Fan



Category: NCIS
Genre: AU, F/M, Way AU, Young Tony and Ziva
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23363890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calico_Cat_TIVA_Fan/pseuds/Calico_Cat_TIVA_Fan
Summary: AU: Tony is a star basketball player who hires Ziva to tutor him so he can keep his eligibility.
Relationships: Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Mid-October

The Jock and the Coed

_AU Tony is a star basketball player who hires Ziva to tutor him so he can keep his eligibility._

Chapter 1 - Mid-October 

Tony DiNozzo hurried past the three women who were sitting in the lobby of the gym as he rushed to meet with his coach. Coach had called his dorm room and requested his presence ASAP. He glanced in the direction of the women out of curiosity.

A busty blonde, a well-proportioned red-head, both with pretty enough faces, and a brunette with a braid dangling almost to mid-back and nicely curved hips; the trifecta of perfection possibly. He made a mental note to check the three out after his meeting with Coach.

“DiNozzo, have a seat,” Coach scowled at his star player. Tony sat on one of the folding chairs opposite Coach’s desk. He noticed the scowl and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Now what?

“Midterm grades have been posted,” the man frowned as he looked at the computer monitor. “Have you seen your grades yet?”

“Um… no,” Tony swallowed hard. “But I’m pretty sure I’m passing everything…” he trailed off as Coach shook his head.

“You have three Fs and two Ds; how the hell do you get a D in physical training?”

“I um, I… Wait, **three** Fs?”

“Yep; Statistics, Spanish, and Human Sexuality… the other D…” Coach gave his star player a disbelieving look.

Tony held up his hands, “I can do better, Coach. I promise. And it’s only midterm, those grades don’t count; I can get them up to at least Cs by final grades.”

“You better,” Coach growled. “That’s why I have some potential tutors lined up for you. Come with me.” He motioned for Tony to follow him to the lobby.

“Ladies,” the coach greeted the three women Tony had rushed past. “This is Tony DiNozzo, starting center for the basketball team. He needs some academic tutoring to get his grades up to maintain his eligibility to play.”

The three women looked at Tony as Coach spoke; the blonde openly flirted with the handsome player. The red-head gave him the once over with a frown. The brunette just gazed at his face and they locked eyes. There was something about her that drew him to her.

“Tony, this is… DiNOZZO!” Coach tried to get his player’s attention; the young man’s eyes were locked on the brunette’s chocolate orbs. He raised a hand and slapped it against the back of the man’s head.

“Um, yeah, Coach?” Tony broke the gaze unwillingly.

“This is Maggie Simmons, she can tutor you in your English lit class,” he pointed to the blonde who again openly flirted with the good-looking player. “Anne Hope, who can tutor you in Spanish or statistics,” he pointed to the red-head. “And Ziva David…”

“I can help with all of your classes,” the brunette interjected. “I speak Spanish as one of seven languages in which I am fluent; I have an A+ in advanced statistical theory; I am in your Human Sexuality class.”

Tony looked over the other two just to be polite; he’d already decided to choose the brunette even before she’d listed her credentials. “I want her,” he locked gazes with the woman again as he gestured in her direction.

“Okay then; thank you Maggie and Anne,” Coach turned to the other two.

Maggie brushed against Tony as she left, “Too bad, stud; you could-a got some hands on if you get my drift.” She spoke quietly so that only Tony could have heard her, but he was so engrossed in the brunette that he was oblivious to the blonde.

Coach handed file folder with a stack of forms to Ziva, “Miss David, fill this out and return one to me each week. That is your report of hours so we can make sure you get paid properly. I’ll leave you two to work out a schedule. DiNozzo, BEHAVE!” With that he tapped the back of Tony’s head again and walked off.

Tony grinned at Ziva, “Pleased to meet you, Ziva. Are you from around here?”

She nearly melted at the grin on his face, but she steeled herself to the draw that was pulling her into his emerald green eyes. “I am from Israel; my father sent me here to get a good education. You?”

“I grew up in various places around New York City,” he replied, hoping she wouldn’t press for details. “What’s your major? Mine’s physical education… “

“International studies with a minor in linguistics. Now, about scheduling our tutoring sessions,” Ziva tried to keep the conversation strictly business despite the attraction she felt to the handsome athlete. “What is your class schedule?” She pulled a day-planner out of her backpack and a pen from one of the outside pockets.

“How about we get some lunch and make a plan over food?” he suggested as it was nearly noon. His stomach growled and reminded him that he’d not had breakfast that morning.

Ziva hesitated but when she glanced at his smile and puppy eyes, she could not say no. “Okay, but I get to choose the place.” He nodded and she responded, “We shall go to the salad bar and sandwich shop by the main bookstore.” She stuffed her planner back in her pack and put her pen in her jacket pocket.

The pair walked side by side talking about the weather, basketball, and classes in general. Both were somewhat surprised at the ease of conversation between them even though they’d just met. Tony held the door for her at the food shop.

“Toda,” she smiled at him and his insides fluttered.

“Prego,” he grinned back at her and she nearly melted into a puddle.

Tony paid for two beverages and two all-you-can-eat specials, which included unlimited trips to the salad and sandwich bars. Ziva led him to a small booth near the back of the shop, slightly away from most of the other diners.

“I like this booth because one can observe the people from here without being too obvious,” she explained.

“Works for me,” he looked around, noticing that the booth had two seats against the wall facing the rest of the eatery and one much smaller seat on the opposite side of the table. He placed her backpack on the small seat and grinned at her. “May as well get used to sitting side by side since you’ll be tutoring me.”

Ziva nodded and smiled, trying not to let him see how his smile made her insides do some sort of flippy thing. Why he had this effect on her she did not know. Not that it really bothered her, but her father had made it very clear that she was not at the university to socialize.

“You go get your food, and I’ll stay here with your bag,” Tony offered. “Then when you come back, I’ll go get my food.”

“Toda,” she headed to the salad bar to make her selections. When she brought her plate of food to the table, he stood up and allowed her to slide in towards the window. He headed to the bars to get himself some food. He returned with two plates of food, including two sandwiches.

They ate in companionable silence, exchanging glances and smiles. Tony tried not to stare into the Israeli’s chocolate brown eyes; they mesmerized him and drew him in. Ziva felt the pull of the emerald green eyes that met her gaze; she could get lost in them.

After they finished the meal, the two planned the first week of tutoring sessions. Their schedules meshed well and they were able to block out at least an hour per day between their last classes each day and Tony’s practice sessions. Tony wrote his dorm room phone number on the page of Ziva’s planner next to his name in the first scheduled session. Ziva tore a page from her assignments book and wrote her name and dorm phone number for him.

“Which dorm are you in?” he asked as he folded that paper and stuck it in his wallet.

“Barresi Hall; you?” she replied.

“Reimer Hall, right next door!” he exclaimed. “Let me walk you back?”

Ziva agreed and the two strolled back to their adjacent dorms; the dorm for the athletes and the honors students’ dorm. They lingered in the small area between the dorms, neither one wanting to break the contact. Finally Ziva turned towards her dorm.

“I will see you tomorrow after Human Sexuality; wait for me if you leave the room before I do,” she reminded him.

“Yeah; see you soon,” he watched her walk into the dorm and then entered his own building. He glanced over at the other building as he climbed the stairs to his floor; twice he saw her on the parallel stairway and waved. She grinned and waved back.

He was so engrossed in watching her that he nearly collided with the captain of the football team.

“Watch where you’re going, DiNozzo,” Ty growled. He noticed the girl in the other building when she waved. “That your new girlfriend?”

“Huh? Oh, no, she’s gonna tutor me for the rest of the term,” Tony took a step back from the larger man.

Ty smirked, “You do know about her, right?” At Tony’s confused look, Ty continued, “Her daddy is the head of security for the Israeli embassy in DC. Big shot within Mossad, or so the rumor has it. She’s off-limits or so it’s said. Daddy David sends his goons to ‘talk’ to the fool who tries to date her.”

“Oh; well then it’s good that she’s just my tutor,” Tony tried to get around Ty.

“Just be careful, DiNozzo; we don’t need no dead jocks around here.”

Over in the other dorm, Ziva continued to climb the stairs to her floor. She looked for Tony at every landing with a window. She nearly collided with the president of the campus honor society.

“Watch it David; gotta pay attention to where you’re going or you’re liable to get hurt,” Sydney looked at the Israeli. She really did not like the girl; too smart for her own good and damn good-looking. In other words, competition.

“Sorry,” Ziva lowered her face. “I did not mean to…”

“You were watching the jocks’ dorm; who’s the guy?” Sydney peered out the window and saw Tony waving. “DiNozzo? You gotta be freaking kidding!”

“Why?”

“You really don’t know?” Ziva shook her head so Sydney continued. “His father is rumored to be the head of the second largest crime family in New York. Daddy DiNozzo bought his son a place on the basketball team. Rumor is that junior is really slick. Wines and dines a girl and then when he finally gets her in bed, drops her like a hot potato.”

Ziva huffed, “Well then, it is a good thing that I am just his tutor.”

“Yeah, uh-huh. I saw how you looked at him; be careful David that you don’t get your heart broken.” Sydney turned and continued on her way leaving Ziva to stare at the empty stairwell in the other building.

The following day, Tony arrived at the Human Sexuality class after Ziva; he made his way to the empty seat on her left grinning at her as he sat down.

“Hi,” he greeted her. “This seat taken?”

She smiled back, “Now it is!”


	2. Early November

Chapter 2 – Early November

Tony and Ziva met every day for at least an hour of tutoring and the time spent together reflected in his grades. He was now at a C in four of five classes; the Spanish class was up to a low B. Ziva often sat in the bleachers while he practiced with the team. She often brought a book to read or worked on assignments for her classes. She noticed herself watching him more often than not. Tony would practice hard, focusing on the skills, but he would steal glances at Ziva when the team took a break or they were between exercises.

He found himself coming up with reasons to be with her, and he'd often follow her to class or have meals with her when they completed a tutoring session. When he'd joked that she couldn't tutor him in physical training, she casually mentioned her IDF training. That led to daily runs at 0600 and breakfast at one of the dining halls on campus. Tony often woke before his alarm and was dressed and ready to go when it finally did sound.

Ziva found her thoughts drifting to the handsome American basketball player, even in class when she should be taking notes. There was something about the man that drew her like a magnet. When she called home for her monthly visit with her mother and younger sister, she'd told Tali all about Tony, swearing the teen to secrecy.

"Ziva is in love," Tali teased over the phone line.

"No she is not," her sister retorted.

"Then why are you telling me all about this American? Tony this and Tony that…"

Ziva heard her mother in the background asking Tali who Tony was. "Tell her he is just someone that I am tutoring. That should satisfy her," she quickly informed her sister. "I have to go to class; we will talk again at the end of November."

Ziva exited her dorm room to find Tony waiting in the hallway. She smiled at him as he grinned at her. "I am sorry I am late: I was talking on the phone with my mother and sister. We only get to talk once each month as it is expensive to call Israel."

"Oh; well at least you get to talk to your family," he grew somber. She glanced over at him noticing a far-away look in his eyes.

"Do you not talk to your family?" she inquired.

"My mom is no longer alive and my father; well, let's just say that he and I don't get along," Tony hoped that answer would satisfy her curiosity.

"I am sorry," she laid a hand on his arm and gazed into his eyes; she saw pain and grief carried over many years.

"Tell me about your family," he encouraged her to share. He also was trying to distract her from asking more questions about his family; not that there was much to tell. His father was a shady person; plain and simple. He had been shipped off to boarding schools for most of his life and he could probably count the number of days that he's actually spent with his father on his hands. Okay, maybe a foot would be needed, but the times Anthony DiNozzo Senior and Anthony DiNozzo Junior had interacted as father and son were few and far between.

"There is not much to tell. My Ima and my sister Tali live in Haifa. Tali is fifteen. My father divides his time between Washington, DC and Tel Aviv. Mossad is his life; he and my Ima have not lived in the same house since I was eleven. These past nine years are probably the best years of Ima's life," she reflected on her broken family.

He put a hand on her arm, just as she had with him, "I'm sorry. Broken families seem to be one thing we have in common." He did some quick mental arithmetic, "So you are **twenty**?"

Ziva sighed, "I will be on 12 November. Why are you surprised?"

"No, I didn't mean it as something bad. I was just figuring out how old you are…" he held up his hands. "I'm twenty-two, if you want to know. 8 July. This is my last year of eligibility to play… basketball is…" he rambled but stopped at the look on her face. "What is it?"

Ziva turned into him, putting her arms around his torso and her chin tucked into his shoulder. "One of my father's, um, goofs, is watching us. He took several pictures with the camera around his neck," she whispered into his ear. "The man with the dark jacket trying not to look at us on my three o'clock."

Tony glanced towards his left catching sight of the man Ziva described; someone else caught his attention just behind the Israeli. "Shit, Ziva; the man behind your guy is one of my father's goons…"

"So what do we do now?" she questioned.

He pulled back slightly and looked in her eyes, "We can play this one of two ways. We can move apart and continue walking and let them see that I am your student and you are my tutor…" He paused as her chocolate orbs drew him in; he was mesmerized by her.

"Or?" she whispered her gaze locked on the emerald green pools that were looking back at her.

He leaned forward and put his lips on hers; god she tasted just as he'd imagined. He was drunk on her already and if he kept this up, he would be addicted for sure. She seemed surprised at first but soon returned the kiss, pressing herself against him, her lips tasting his as if they were manna from heaven.

The pair broke apart for air, both slightly breathless. Ziva felt a bit light-headed; kissing Tony had been the last thing on her mind when she woke up that morning, but now it would be forever a part of her thoughts. Tony took a deep breath, kissing Ziva had crossed his mind a few times, but the real thing was so much better than he'd dared to imagine.

The bell tower chimed on the hour, breaking the moment when both realized that they were now late for the Human Sexuality class. Considering the distance they still had to cover to get to the classroom building, they would be at least ten minutes late.

"Come," she grabbed his hand and tugged. "We are late to class." He followed immediately, keeping pace with her quick and crisp step, but never letting go of her hand. Slightly out of breath, he finally let go of her when they reached the entrance to the classroom building; he held the door for her grinning as she moved past him. The pair tried to enter class unobserved, but those who knew one or the other or both could see the slightly flushed faces and the way they touched hands as the pair maneuvered to side by side seats near the back of the lecture hall.

Tony was almost certain the two goons, one Mossad and one of his father's, were sitting in the very back row of seats. During the lecture and video on child growth in the womb, he could feel their eyes on him and Ziva. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled; damn his father and his goons.

Ziva knew that her father's spy was sitting behind her and Tony; watching, probably taking pictures with a concealed camera, and making notes to report back to her father. For the first time since she'd began taking classes at the university in late August, she felt her father's presence as an assault on her privacy. Damn her father and his stupid rules; she would try to convince him to loosen the reins when made his obligatory call for her birthday.

Tony watched the video; he was distracted by the woman to his side. He could tell that she was as concerned about their watchers as he was, so he decided to break the tension with some levity. He scribbled on a piece of paper and shoved the note towards Ziva.

She looked down from watching the video as Tony's hand made contact with hers. She saw that he'd slipped a note under her hand. She picked up the piece of paper and read the scrawled note.

' _Would you be the mother of my children? Pretty please?'_


	3. Ziva's Birthday

Chapter 3 – Ziva's Birthday

The last thing either one of them was expecting was for Ziva to say "yes!" She had zero control over herself and just blurted out the word before she even realized what she'd said. Tony had looked at her with his mouth hanging open for what seemed to be an eternity. She'd reached over and pushed his jaw upward, closing his mouth.

The pair sat in the lecture room as the class dismissed. Neither one was quite sure how to proceed after their shocking realization. The first thing either of them said was when Tony broke the silence.

"I… wow, you said yes…" he looked over his shoulder for the two men; both were gathering things as if they were students and preparing to leave. Ziva started to speak and he placed a finger on her lips and tipped his head towards the back of the room, indicating to her to wait. The two goons quietly slipped from the room, probably to report to their respective bosses.

"I… do not… I do not know… why… but I meant it," she looked at his face falling into the green pools that gazed back at her. "I have not ever felt this way ever…"

"Me either," he whispered. "It's like… well, like… I don't know how to describe…"

Ziva put her hand on his cheek, "Soulmates."

"Hum a few bars and I'll get it," he quipped and immediately regretted his flippancy. "No, I'm sorry. Yes, soulmates…" He leaned towards the Israeli and brushed his lips on hers. She leaned into the kiss as he placed his hand on the back of her head and threaded his fingers into her hair, pulling her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Ahem…" a voice broke them apart. "There's a class coming in here in ten minutes; you may want to go elsewhere," the TA for the next class was standing by the lecture podium. The pair gathered their notebooks and shoved things into backpacks. Tony took Ziva's hand in his as they walked back to the dorms.

"We need to discuss this," Ziva was thinking out loud. She remembered the things she'd been told about Tony when she'd first met him. Her father was also a factor like it or not. "Some place private."

"Agreed," Tony was mulling over all that he'd been told about Ziva and her Mossad father. His own father would also be a factor, albeit an absentee one at best. He'd started this as a joke to lighten their moods, and suddenly there was no joke. He was serious about spending his life with her and hoped she felt the same about him.

He unlocked the door to his dorm room; one of the perks of being a senior athlete was a private room with a shower and small kitchen area. In New York, it would be called a micro-efficiency apartment. He'd no sooner opened the door when one of the other basketball players came running up.

'DiNozzo, get your ass to the gym ASAP; big meeting in fifteen. Coach called all the players; told me to be there if I wanted to play this season," Curt spilled out the message and stopped for a breath. He gave Ziva a once over glance and nudged his teammate.

"New girlfriend?" he winked at Tony.

"No, Curt; I'm not into date-of-the-week anymore; this is my future wife, Ziva David," Tony grinned at Ziva as he took her hand.

Curt's mouth dropped open, "Well, damn…. Double damn… DiNozzo getting hitched…" He walked off shaking his head. "Meeting at the gym; be there!"

Tony turned to Ziva, "This sounds important; I better get over there. I'll come pick you up after the meeting at your room. Okay?"

Ziva nodded, "Remember that I have that oral exam for my linguistics class about the same time as practice starts. If I am not in my room when you get out of your meeting, I will be back as soon as the exam is over." She pressed her lips to his. He pulled her to him and returned the kiss.

She pulled away, grudgingly, "Now go, find out what is so important with your coach. I will see you soon." She followed him down the stairs and headed into her dorm as he took off in a sprint towards the gym.

She opened the door to her floor and spotted a familiar figure standing by her door. She almost turned and ran down the stairs, but he saw her before she could leave.

"Hello, Ziva."

"Hadar; are you going to follow me all day?" she huffed at her father's minion.

"You know why I am here," he did not have to remind her that he was paid to watch her every move by her father. "Tell me one good reason that I should not report to your father immediately. Or maybe I should just let your boyfriend know the rules?" He gave her a sly grin; she wanted to smack the smirk off his face.

"Leave Tony be; we are going to be married," she spat at the man as she unlocked her door. "Go away and leave me alone as well." He pushed his way past her into the room and sat on the edge of her desk.

"Married?" he sputtered in shock. "Wait until your father hears of this!" He glanced over at her and looked up and down over her body, giving her a creepy feeling. "Wait a minute, are you with child? There are ways to take care of that."

She slapped his face before she thought twice about her reaction. "I am not pregnant; Tony and I are meant to be together. We are soulmates, something my father will never understand. You can tell him that I said to go to hell." She turned her back to Hadar and took a deep breath. She felt him move behind her and spun around quickly, throwing the man to the floor.

"Just to be clear; you are not welcome here, nor is my father. Neither of you needs to be in my life any longer than necessary. Leave now or I will call campus security," she hissed in his ear as she held him down. She backed off and let the man up. He raised his hands as in surrender and back slowly away from her.

"GO! GET OUT!" she aimed several strategic kicks at him as he tried to protect himself. Once he was out of her room she slammed the door and locked it. She fell face forward onto the bed and calmed herself by breathing deeply. Her mind reeled through the events of the day so far; she fell asleep thinking of Tony and wondering when he would be back.

Over at the gym, Tony was one of the last players to arrive. He sat on a chair near the back of the room as Coach noticed his arrival.

"Nice of you to join us, DiNozzo," the man barked. "Try answering your damn phone when you are supposed to be in your dorm."

Tony said nothing but gave a slight nod to acknowledge that he'd been spoken to; he had more important things on his mind than to argue with the coach. His mind wandered over the events of the day so far as the coach droned on in the front of the room.

"DINOZZO!" a sharp voice in his ear and a slap on the head startled him from his thoughts. "What did I just say?"

Tony shrugged, "I give up?" That earned him a second slap to the back of the head.

"I said that we are four over the maximum number of players allowed when the season starts at the end of the month with the Thanksgiving tournament. No one, I repeat, no one is guaranteed a spot. Every one of you has to earn his place on the team in the next two weeks. That includes you, DiNozzo; your daddy's money won't get you a place this time."

"Whatever," Tony mumbled. He no longer lived for the game.

Coach got in his face, "What did you just say?"

"WHATEVER!'" Tony spoke louder. "Coach, I've had my seasons; cut me from the team. I got more important things to do now." He made the decision on the spot; Ziva was more important to him than playing another season.

Coach stood speechless; his star player had just quit the team. "Your father won't like this. What is so important that you are willing to quit the team?"

Curt smirked to the guys sitting next to him, "DiNozzo has a fiancée; that's what is more important."

"Probably knocked her up," one of the others commented loudly. Tony heard and saw red. He charged at the player and pushed him against the wall.

"Take it back; leave my future wife out of this," he snarled.

"Make me!"

Tony balled up his fist and swung connecting with the man's face. Fists flew before anyone could stop either man; when Coach finally got between the two, Tony had a cut lip and a bloody nose. He'd probably have a black eye to boot. The other player was holding a broken tooth in one hand and grabbing at his jaw with the other.

While Tony was getting stitches in his lip and having his nose checked to make sure it was not broken, Ziva was awakened from her sleep by a knocking on her door. She glanced at the clock by her bed and figured it was Tony. She unlocked the door and swung it open.

"Hello, Tony, how…" she stopped short when she saw the man who worked for Tony's father standing outside her door.

"Miss David?" he asked out of courtesy, not because he didn't know who she was.

"Yes; what do you want with me?" she glanced at the empty hallway behind him. The one time she wished Hadar was still watching her…

"We need to talk about Anthony DiNozzo Junior. May I come inside?"

Ziva motioned him into her room and purposely left the door open. Witnesses were always a good thing to have in these situations.

"Have a seat," she motioned to the desk chair as she sat on the end of her bed.

"This won't take long," he remained standing.

"Need I remind you that my father is assistant director of Mossad?"

"No need; do not worry. I am merely here to give you some choices. We can arrange for whatever you wish to deal with the situation that you are in."

"What situation?" Ziva honestly did not understand his meaning.

The man sighed, "We have ways to help you terminate the pregnancy."

"I am NOT pregnant. Tony and I are soulmates; we belong together. You cannot stop us, just as my father cannot interfere. You go home and tell Mr. Anthony DiNozzo SENIOR that his son is no longer in his control. From now on Anthony JUNIOR makes his own decisions." Ziva fought back the anger building in her. She felt her pulse rising and repressed the urge to use her Mossad training on the man.

"You will regret this; Mr. DiNozzo is in contact with your father as we speak."

Tony appeared in the doorway just as Ziva grabbed the man into a headlock, "You and my father can go rot in hell." She tightened her choke-hold on him.

"Ziva! Let him go. He's not worth the effort to hurt him," Tony glared at his cousin Vincente. "Vinnie, get the hell away from my fiancée NOW. You know I can take you and win." He snarled at his cousin. "And you can tell my father that I disown HIM."

Vinnie laughed at Tony's appearance, "Looks like you been fighting already, Tony-boy. Gotta defend your bitch's honor huh?" Both Tony and Ziva rammed fists in Vinnie's face; then Tony picked him up by the collar and tossed his cousin into the hallway.

He slammed the door, "Good riddance to a bad penny." He drew Ziva to him as she brushed her hands over his face. "It's nothing; just a few scrapes and bruises. I'm gonna look like hell for your birthday though, so no pictures!"

He kissed her, sore lips and all, because he needed to. "Ziva…" She gently kissed him back, caressing his face with her hands.

"Tomorrow we are going to get you a ring; make this the way it should be," he declared. "You get to pick out whatever ring you want, sweet cheeks. I gotta use some of my trust fund before he cuts access; why not get you the ring of your dreams?"

Ziva did not know what to say so she kissed him again.

"Happy birthday, Ziva. I love you."


	4. Thanksgiving Break

Chapter 4 – Thanksgiving Break

Ziva fingered the ring on her left ring finger; the diamonds and sapphire sparkled in the ambient light in her room. She looked over at the sleeping form of her fiancé; she smiled as he turned in his sleep and grinned slightly. God he was eye candy; a drug to her. She could gaze at him all day long and not get tired of seeing the love in his eyes.

She reflected back on the past two weeks; her father had not made his obligatory call for her birthday. Of that she was glad; one less argument and one less aggravation was fine with her. Her Ima had been shocked at first, but seemed genuinely happy for the couple. Hadar had all but disappeared, but her sixth sense told her she had not seen the last of him.

Tony had tried calling his father to inform the man of their engagement. Senior had not answered the phone and never responded to the message that his son left on the answering machine. The cousin had not been spotted since they had thrown him out of Ziva's room; but she again sensed that the couple had not seen the last of him.

Classes were going well; Tony now had six Bs and the shot at an A in two of his courses. Ziva was positive she had all As in her classes, but somehow that sense of perfection no longer mattered to her. Both were on track to graduate in the spring and had registered for their last remaining classes just yesterday, as well as completed the forms for graduation. Unfortunately they would not have any classes together for the spring term, but at least their schedules meshed to allow plenty of time to spend with each other.

Tony woke from his nap to see Ziva watching him over her novel that she was reading for her Literature class. He grinned at her and patted the bed, motioning her over to his side. She put the book on her desk and smiled at him. She sat by his side as he drew her into a kiss.

"I am addicted to you," she murmured into a kiss.

He hummed in appreciation and slid his hand to her hip and pulled her into his body. She pressed herself to him, feeling the heat between them. Without warning, she flipped him onto his back and straddled his hips. She started unbuttoning his shirt.

He put his hand on hers to stop her, "Are you sure? I want our first time to be special…"

She nodded, "I have never been more sure of what I want. I want our first time to be now. Make love to me, Tony." She tugged at the buttons on his shirt and ran a hand over his bare chest as he unbuttoned her top.

The couple undressed each other, Ziva wanted to tear their clothes off in a hurry but Tony urged her to go slowly to savor the moment.

"We want to remember this forever, Ziva… or at least I do," he unhooked her bra and slid it off her shoulders. He gasped at the sight of her beautiful body, "Oh my…"

When they were separated by just her panties and his boxers, he moved over her on the bed. He ran kisses over her torso, savoring the taste of her olive-toned skin. She moaned in pleasure at each touch, each kiss, pressing him to move faster.

"Patience, my ninja," he kissed her inner thighs, fighting to control his own urges. She tugged at his boxers, and dropped them around his knees.

"You are beautiful…" she eyed his arousal and felt her own ramping up. "I want that; fill me… make love to me…" she moaned as his hands teased her over her panties.

"Soon," he eased her panties over her hips and down her legs. He tossed the clothing to the side as they both took in the full nakedness of the other. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her; in a sudden move, she flipped him on his back and straddled him. Both let out a moan as their bodies came together.

Sated, the pair lay together in a tangle of limbs; ragged breathing was punctuated with kisses, hearts still racing from their orgasmic release.

"Mmmm, I could get very used to that," Ziva whispered into a kiss.

"Me too; and since we have the whole next week off for Thanksgiving break…" he trailed off as he fused his lips to hers yet again.

His stomach rumbled and she chuckled as she placed a hand on him, "I guess we will need to eat in between. Perhaps we should get some lunch, yes?"

The couple showered and dressed to go out to the sandwich shop for food. After lunch they walked around town for a bit, and passed by the county courthouse. Tony stopped and looked up the steps.

"Let's get married!" he tugged her hand and pulled her in the direction of the courthouse entrance. Inside they found the office for applying for a marriage license and then the clerk of court to sign up for an appointment with the Justice of the Peace. There was one opening for the Friday morning after Thanksgiving at 1045; the couple filed the necessary paperwork and headed out to the campus health center to get their blood tests completed.

The following day, they returned to the jewelry store where Tony bought the engagement ring and chose a matching set of wedding bands. Ziva's band was designed to nest with the engagement ring so that she could wear them as a set if she chose. They decided to have the bands engraved with their names and the date they would be married as well as the word soulmates in both English and Hebrew. The jeweler took the order and informed them that the rings would be ready for pick up the next afternoon.

"We got the rings, now the clothes," Tony squeezed Ziva's hand in his. "Probably a good thing my father has not cut off my credit card yet."

"I do not need any special clothes to marry you," Ziva had never been one to daydream about a big wedding or a traditional bridal gown.

"It's our special day, Ziva; we need to at least get dressed up a bit. Maybe a suit for me and a white dress for you?" he envisioned her in a tea length dress with lace and sequins, maybe some flowers in her hair.

The pair went to an upscale department store in town. In the special occasions area of the women's department, they found a dress very similar to what Tony had envisioned. Ziva tried the dress on and modeled it for him. It fit her perfectly; no alterations needed. She found a pair of white heels to match. In the men's department, Tony found a black three-piece suit in his size. Ziva chose a charcoal gray dress shirt and white silk tie for him. Finally, in the shoe department, he found a pair of Italian leather dress shoes to complete the look.

The clerk who rang up their purchases commented, "Are you dressing up for a special occasion?"

"We're getting married," Tony grinned as he squeezed Ziva's hand in his. She smiled at him and his insides nearly melted; that smile that she had for only him would probably have the same effect on him fifty years from now.

Ziva had never been happier in her life; when Tony gave her that grin he used only for her, she nearly swooned. Her heart burst with all the love she felt for this man; she knew with all of her being that every time for the rest of their lives that he grinned at her that way, she would feel so much love and be loved in return.

Both were awake early on Friday morning, anticipation and excitement keeping the adrenalin flowing. They went for the usual 0600 run stopping for bagels and coffee on the way back to the dorm. A shared shower almost turned into them running late when it became a love-making session.

Finally both were dressed; hand-in-hand they walked to the courthouse and ascended the steps. With a combination of excitement and a bit of nervousness, Tony pulled open the courtroom door for his bride. The pair checked in with the Judge's secretary and took a seat in the galley. They held hands as they awaited their turn before the Judge.

Tony checked for the rings in his pocket for the umpteenth time; the marriage license had been handed over to the court clerk when they checked in. He looked over at Ziva; god the woman was gorgeous and shortly, she would be his wife. He wondered how the fates had decided that he was worthy of her.

Ziva watched Tony checking his pocket and smiled to herself. He was the one who had been in her dreams for so long; how had she managed to deserve him? Her soul was content; she had found her soulmate, the one who fit her like a piece of the puzzle to make it complete. She pushed back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

"DiNozzo and David; civil marriage," the clerk called out. Tony stood and helped Ziva to her feet. Hand-in-hand the couple walked to the Judge. They repeated the vows and promised to love and cherish each other for the rest of their days. The Judge made her pronouncement that they were officially married and gave them permission to seal it with a kiss. Tony pulled Ziva to him as they fused lips; today was the best day of his life.

They pulled apart a bit sheepish at the cleared throat from the Judge breaking the kiss. "I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DiNozzo," the couple turned as the Judge spoke; there was a light applause from the galley. Tony looked up to see Hadar and Vinnie in the back rows; he frowned slightly and turned to Ziva who was also frowning.

"They are NOT going to ruin our day," he spoke quietly to her as they made their way to the clerk's desk to sign the marriage certificate.

"Congratulations! You will be mailed a copy of the certificate within ten days," the clerk informed them.

Tony handed her a disposable camera, "Would you take our picture please? It's just us and we don't have anyone else." She nodded and snapped several pictures for the couple. After she handed the camera back to Tony, the pair exited the courthouse with hands intertwined.

Ziva glanced over her shoulder to see the two goons following them. "They are following us," she observed. "How do we want to deal with the goons?"

Tony stopped and turned around quickly, "Follow my lead, Ziva." He addressed his cousin and the Mossad officer, "How can we help you two gentlemen today?" He smiled at both. "Vinnie? Hadar?"

"Your father will not be pleased, Ziva. Stop this foolishness and come with me," Hadar ignored Tony and spoke directly to Ziva.

Vinnie eyed his cousin, "Uncle Tony will be cutting you off completely. I hope your WIFE is worth losing all that money." He leered at Ziva as he spoke; Tony so wanted to punch the son-of-a-bitch. Ziva's hand in his grounded him and as she squeezed his hand gently, he calmed down enough to reply.

"Vinnie, my father can take his money and shove it where the sun don't shine. Hadar, she is my wife so leave her be. Now, my wife and I are going to get some lunch and then our honeymoon begins," Tony made eye contact with both men. His glare dared them to a confrontation.

Ziva spoke to both men as well, "Hadar, I am with my husband now. You can tell my father that IF he chooses to be in contact, he should call me directly. I no longer take messages from you. Vinnie, you can tell Mr. DiNozzo Senior that I welcome any chance to meet him if he so chooses. Now, as my husband said, we are going to get lunch and then retire to someplace private to enjoy our first day as a married couple. Good day." She turned her back to the two goons and tugged on Tony's hand. Together they walked towards the café to get lunch. Both were ready to get some sustenance and then head back to Ziva's room and spend the rest of the afternoon with as little clothing as possible, sharing the bed as husband and wife for the first time.

Hadar turned to Vinnie, "This is not going to end well. I do not look forward to telling Ziva's father that she married your cousin."

Vinnie chuckled, "Nope; I don't want to be too close when Uncle Tony finds out they are married. Hey, since we are both not in any hurry to report back, let's go get a drink."


	5. End of Fall Term

Chapter 5 – End of Fall Term

The last final exams were completed and final grades were posted. Ziva had all As as she expected, although the statistical theory exam had been a bear and she was not sure of her work when she turned in the exam at the end of the three hour time window. Tony pulled out an A in the Human Sexuality class, and Bs in all of the others. Ziva was proud of his accomplishment and rewarded her husband with a special homemade meal that she cooked in his dorm room.

They had applied for married student housing for the spring term and been approved for a two-bedroom apartment. Their graduation applications had also been approved pending successful completion of spring term classes. The pair was just finishing packing up Tony's stuff to move from his room to the apartment when the phone rang.

"Hello?" he listened to the voice on the other end. "Yeah, I can do that. But I have one request… My wife gets to sit in the priority seating for the game."

Ziva perked up at the mention of two words, 'wife' and 'game.' She gave Tony a questioning look and he held up a finger to indicate that he was still listening to the other person.

"Yeah, practice at 1800; I'll be there," he hung up the receiver and grinned at his wife. "That was Coach. Apparently the team is down five players because of some bug they've all got. Coach needs me to fill in for the Holiday Classic against our arch-rival on 29 December."

"So I get to see you play in a game?" Ziva queried.

"Yep, and it's a big game for the team. I got you VIP seating too. You'll be sitting with the big donors, right behind our bench… You are my VIP," he pulled her into his arms kissing her and then tickling her. The timer on the stove buzzed as Ziva wrapped her arms around his neck and he threaded his hand into her hair.

"Mmm, that is the timer for the test," she reminded him. She took his hand and led him to the bathroom where both peered at the white stick. Two pink dots appeared in the results window. He turned her towards him, and stroked her face.

"I… I…" tears ran down his cheeks as she put her hands on his cheeks. "Ziva, you've made me the happiest man on the planet!" He kissed away her tears and grinned at her. "She's having my baby!"

"We will have to confirm with a doctor, but I think we can go to the Campus Health Center to do that," she reminded him. She pulled a small slip of paper from her pocket and unfolded it. She showed him the note he had written to her in the Human Sexuality class in November. He grinned at her; she was so beautiful and now that she had his child growing inside her, she was even more so.

"We can do that tomorrow, right?" he wanted to get the confirmation as soon as they could; he felt a strong urge to protect his wife and child. "Probably a good thing we took that Human Sexuality class; it gives us an idea of what to expect." She smiled at him with tears in her eyes still. "And we did put it to use; you were the best tutor!"

She swatted him playfully, "The class did not have a lab, Mr. DiNozzo." She winked at him and pushed him back on to the bed. "However, if you would like… some practical application…"

An hour later, Tony was tugging on his shoes as Ziva dried her hair. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, placing a hand over her abdomen and nuzzling his face into her neck.

"If you keep that up, you will be late to practice," she giggled as he kissed a ticklish spot. "I am going to do one last check of my room and then turn in my keys while you are at practice."

"I'd much rather be with you," he murmured in her ear.

She turned in his arms and kissed him on the lips, "Go; the sooner you go to practice, the quicker it will be done and you can come back here." He gave her one last kiss and turned to leave; she playfully swatted his behind and laughed at the expression on his face.

"I will remember that, Mrs. DiNozzo…"

The following day, the couple moved the last of Tony's things to the apartment, turned in his keys, and then headed to Health Center on campus. Ziva signed them in and noted that the reason for the visit was to have a pregnancy test. The receptionist noted the sign-in and handed Ziva a clipboard of forms to complete.

Ziva began filling in the form; when she got to the line for name, she started to write 'David' for the last name and paused. She carefully wrote 'DiNozzo' instead and looked up at Tony.

"What?" he asked at her expression.

"That is the first time I have written 'Ziva DiNozzo' instead of 'Ziva David.' I… well… just three months ago I did not even know that you existed," she felt her eyes misting. She'd used her birth name for the remainder of the fall term in classes as a matter of convenience. As of the end of the term, her official school records had changed to her new name. "My life has changed so much since October... and for the better. All because of you, neshama sheli. I love you so much, Tony."

"Cara mia, I have a purpose in my life because of you; and now our child… Ziva, I love you more," he wiped at the tears forming in his eyes. "We were meant to find each other; you are the piece I never knew was missing until you walked into my life." He brushed his lips on hers.

She completed the forms and handed the clipboard back to the receptionist. Ten minutes later a nurse's assistant appeared from the hallway to the exam rooms.

"Ziva DiNozzo?" she looked around at the people in the waiting room. Tony and Ziva both stood and approached the woman.

"Just her for now," she motioned for Ziva to follow her. She handed Ziva a cup and pointed at the restroom. "Leave it in the window over the sink and ring the bell when you are done. Then you can go back to the waiting room. Once the test is complete, I will call you and your husband back."

Ziva put the filled cup in the window and rang the bell. She washed her hands and went back to Tony. "They are running the test now," she leaned on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. Thirty minutes passed until they were called back to an exam room. The doctor checked Ziva's vitals and confirmed the pregnancy.

"Based on the information you provided, your due date is around 25 August. Congratulations! At your next appointment, we will do a full pelvic exam. Your appointments will be once per month until you get closer to the due date. Any questions for me?" he shook Tony's hand and smiled at Ziva.

"Not that I can think of," both said together. Ziva scheduled the next appointment at the reception desk and the couple headed back to their apartment walking with hands interlocked. They were most of the way to the building when Tony stopped suddenly. Ziva turned to look at why he'd stopped and he pulled her into his arms and swung her around with the silliest grin on his face.

"Ziva, oh, Ziva; I am the happiest man in the universe and it's all because of you," he stood still and put her feet back on the ground. "I didn't know it was possible to love someone as much as I love you."

"I love you with every part of me, Tony. I did not know that such a love as ours existed until I loved you. Ani ohevet otcha, neshama," she pressed her mouth to his and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

At the apartment door, Tony motioned for Ziva to take a step back as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. He lifted her into his arms and carried her inside, kicking the door shut behind them. "Welcome to our first home, Mrs. DiNozzo."

"It is home because of you," she replied and kissed him again.

The day of the big game, the couple spent a lazy morning in bed, making love twice before showering and getting some lunch. Tony left for the gym about 1430, reminding Ziva to be at the admission gate with her ticket around 1700. Ziva entered the arena as the team was taking some final practice. She watched Tony as he moved about the floor taking shots from various spots.

"You're new here," a middle-aged woman commented to Ziva. She looked over the younger woman, wondering who she was.

"Yes, I am. My husband is playing his last collegiate game tonight," Ziva replied. She pointed towards the court, "Tony DiNozzo."

"You're DiNozzo's WIFE?" the woman looked shocked. "I didn't even know he had a steady girlfriend."

"We were married in November," Ziva explained.

The woman was about to ask more questions when the announcer's voice boomed over the PA," Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for our national anthem." After the _Star Spangled Banner_ , the crowd was seated and the players were introduced, the rival team first.

"And now for the Buckeyes; starting center, Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo," the crowd cheered wildly as Tony ran onto the floor. His eyes searched the VIP seats and when he found Ziva he broke into a huge grin. She blew him a kiss and smiled as he took his place on the line for the next player to be introduced.

Ziva heard the three women behind her talking; one of them was the woman she had talked to earlier.

"Who was DiNozzo looking for?"

"His WIFE," Ziva recognized the voice.

"His what?"

"WIFE; she's right in front of us." Ziva turned around and gave the three women her best polite smile.

"Damn; never thought he was the marrying sort."

"You and most of the female population," a third voice added. "She must be something special to capture HIS heart."

"Either that or he knocked her up; she doesn't look pregnant though." Ziva tuned the gossips out; before she met Tony she would have confronted them and possibly used her IDF training to silence them. She knew he loved her with all of his being and that was what mattered. Let the gossips have their fun, she thought as she put her hand on her belly.

The game was a true contest of skills, with the lead see-sawing rapidly. It came down to the final eighty seconds of the game. The other team scored, gaining a lead of one point. One of the players in-bounded the ball to Tony who moved down-court towards the goal rapidly. He passed the ball to one of his guards who was open; the guy lined up a shot and was blocked by an opposing player who appeared out of nowhere. The ball was loose and headed in Tony's direction. He scrambled and gathered it in; he stood and lined up a shot from outside the three-point line. The ball swished through the net as the final buzzer sounded and the home crowd erupted. Players lifted Tony on their shoulders so that he could cut the net. He held up the now-loose net and searched the crowd for Ziva. He spotted her cheering wildly with everyone else and grinned; as she saw him looking at her, he raised his hand with the net high in the air and pointed the other in her direction. He did it for her and their child.

Several sports reporters swarmed the team and Tony in particular. He looked around and motioned for Ziva to join him on the floor.

"Are you back to stay, DiNozzo?"

"What were you thinking when you made that final shot?"

"Are you going to play the rest of the season?"

Tony pulled Ziva to his side, "One at a time, please." He turned and kissed his wife to the surprised looks of the reporters. "Okay, to answer your questions. No, I am not back to stay. This is my only game this season; as a favor to Coach. As of right now, I am officially retired from basketball.

"What was I thinking? Well, there's this special woman, who happens to be right here with me; I wanted to make her proud of me and to give her something to remember from her first basketball game. Gentlemen, and ladies, this is my wife, Ziva; the mother of my unborn child," he leaned towards Ziva and locked his lips on hers.

"No more basketball?" a determined reporter asked again.

"No more; I have different priorities now," Tony grinned at Ziva and pulled her close. "I have a family."


	6. Epilogue

Chapter 6 – Epilogue

Spring term flew by; even with a small bout of morning sickness, Ziva's pregnancy went smoothly. Her regular appointments were always scheduled so that Tony could go with her. At sixteen weeks or estimated thereabouts, she had a sonogram to confirm the size of the fetus, and hence, the due date. Although grainy, the image could be clearly discerned to be a developing baby. The sonogram tech printed a picture for the expectant parents to take with them.

Tony put the picture on the refrigerator with several magnets, "Our first baby picture!" Every morning when they woke, Tony put his hand on Ziva's growing baby bump, "Good morning baby DiNozzo." Ziva thought it so sweet that he was already 'interacting' with their child.

The couple discussed how the baby would be encouraged to address them as parents; Tony wanted to use 'Daddy' or the Italian 'Papa.' Ziva suggested the Hebrew 'Abba.' They did agree their child would use 'Ima' for Ziva and left it open-ended for Tony. When the topic of grandparents came up, both agreed that Ziva's mother would be 'Savta.' Neither one cared to think about asking their fathers to embrace the role of grandfather. Each month Ziva called her mother and Tony gradually became a part of the calls, chatting with his mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Final exams came and went and finally graduation day arrived. Both had obtained cap and gown and Ziva had an honors sash, and medals from two honor societies; her cumulative GPA was an impressive 4.0. Her diploma was awarded summa cum laude. Tony had breezed through his final semester and earned all As. His final GPA was 3.25, earning him a cum laude designation.

At the arena, both were standing with classmates ready to march into the ceremony. A staff member from the Registrar's office called out names to line them up alphabetically.

"… DiNozzo, Anthony; DiNozzo, Ziva…" The couple lined up with the others and held hands. Ziva leaned into Tony as he wrapped an arm around his wife. He fussed over her, worrying that she didn't need to be on her feet for so long considering that she was seven months pregnant.

"I am fine, Tony. If nothing else, the excitement will help me get through," she smiled at her husband. "I had never planned to walk, but with you at my side, it is the best feeling in the world. We are doing this together, neshama!"

The graduates marched in to cheers and applause filling the arena. They took their seats and half-listened to the talking heads on the stage. The school president droned on for twenty minutes; Tony spent most of that time with Ziva leaning her head on his shoulder and him placing gentle kisses on her head. Various deans had their turns and then finally it was time for the individual graduates to receive their diplomas.

Tony and Ziva stood with the rest of their row and queued at the steps to the stage; the line inched forward. Tony was next.

"Anthony D. DiNozzo, Junior; Bachelor of Arts, Physical Education, cum laude." Tony kissed Ziva and climbed the steps to receive his diploma; he smiled for the photographer and proceeded to the opposite side of the stage.

"Ziva DiNozzo; Bachelor of Arts, with Honors, International Studies and Linguistics, summa cum laude." Ziva climbed the stairs and strode to the podium to receive her diploma. She smiled at the photographer and looked at the other side of the stage where Tony was waiting for her. She walked quickly and fell into his arms. They shared a quick kiss before Tony helped her down the stairs.

"We did it, Ziva," Tony kissed his wife again as they returned to their seats. "We're officially college graduates." He locked gazes with her and the two tuned out the rest of the world; they were in their own world.

After the ceremony, the couple stopped at the reception for the graduates. Tony filled a plate with food that he and Ziva shared. They didn't stay long as neither had family to show off or have pictures taken. The one place they did stop before leaving was at the photographer's table to order their prints of the photos of each receiving a diploma and one of the two of them sharing a kiss that the photographer's assistant had captured. Ziva paid for the package and wrote their new address on the order form.

"Are you ready to finish up loading the truck to leave in the morning?" Tony asked his wife on the way back to their apartment for their last night there.

"I am ready to start our new life," Ziva replied. Both had accepted jobs with a charter school in Virginia; Tony would be teaching physical education to the students in grades four through twelve. Ziva's job was teaching languages to the same grade levels. The school had an on-site daycare for faculty and staff, so their baby would be nearby all day.

The couple settled into the rented house near campus and spent the month of July readying the baby's room using gender-neutral shades that could later coordinate with colors for a boy or a girl. The second Saturday in August, after a week of new faculty orientation, their new colleagues threw a baby shower for the couple. Sunday was spent sorting through the diapers, tiny clothes, bedding, toys, and new parent supplies and writing thank you notes.

On 22 August at 0235, Ziva woke Tony, "It is time." He grabbed her pre-packed bag and helped her into their newly acquired minivan. At 1812, their son took his first breaths. Tony had been there with Ziva for the entire labor and delivery. He cut the umbilical cord as the doctor supervised. The nurse brought the baby back to his parents after measuring him.

"Twenty-one inches long and eight pounds, two ounces; Apgar nine point five," she informed them. "Congratulations!"

Two days later, Tony brought his wife and son home. He helped Ziva into the house, carrying the baby in his car seat. Ziva gasped as the front door opened and her Ima came running out.

"Ima, what are you doing here?" she hugged her mother and noticed her sister standing by the door. "Tali? Oh my, it is so good to see both of you."

"My Zivaleh, let me see you," her Ima held her face between her hands. "You have changed; so grown up now. And my grandson; so beautiful." Tony put the baby in his mother-in-law's arms. "Toda."

Ziva hugged her sister, "How?"

"Abba arranged for us to fly on a private jet owned by Mossad after Tony called to tell us that the baby was born," Tali smiled at her brother-in-law. "When we arrived at Dulles, Tony was waiting to pick us up."

"They will be staying with us for about three weeks, Ziva," Tony sat next to his wife. She now had the baby in her arms. He placed a kiss on her cheek. "I hope that's okay with you?"

Ziva turned to her husband, "Ken, neshama, toda raba. I mean, yes, thank you so much." She met his kiss with her own.

"I have one more surprise for you," he added. "I contacted the Rabbi at the synagogue in town. Our son's bris is all set up. I hope you don't mind that I invited your father, and mine."

On the eighth day of his life, Aiden Anthony DiNozzo was formally introduced to the world. He cried briefly as the cuts were made. Tony then held up his son and announced the name he and Ziva chose for the newest DiNozzo.

As the family celebrated with the congregants at the synagogue, Eli David entered the room. He scanned the group and then pulled Rivka David aside before he joined the party. She gave him a confused look.

"I wanted you to know this first," Eli explained to his ex-wife. "I received a report that the bus that our Tali would have been on to attend her voice lessons was attacked by a Hamas suicide bomber. There were no survivors. Perhaps this is a sign that our Ziva going against my wishes was a good thing."

When the little family arrived back at the house, Tony saw a familiar vehicle in the street in front of the house. As he helped Ziva out of their minivan, he heard a voice call out.

"Junior!" his father stepped from the black Cadillac. "I came to meet my grandson."

Two years later, on the day after Tony's birthday, the couple welcomed their daughter into the world. Elisheva Rivka, named for her grandmothers, weighed nearly eight pounds and was twenty and one half inches long. Family came from New York and Israel to celebrate.

The jock and the coed lived a long and happy life together.

* * *

"Cut!" Anthony IV called out to the camera operator. He handed his wife Margaret a glass of water as she sat back to relax after the round of filming for the _Soulmates_ project.

"Saba, I never knew you thought about other ways you and Savta could have met," he commented to his grandfather.

"I didn't; I just made up that whole story when Margaret asked me if it could have happened any other way," Tony replied.

Ziva squeezed his hand, "Well I thought it was a very good story."

"Yeah, Zi, but if I had to do OUR story over again, I wouldn't change a thing," he grinned at his wife. "We may have done things in a strange order, and definitely not the usual way. We did it our way, and I wouldn't change a bit of it. Five kids, fifteen grandkids, and a new generation just beginning. Ani ohev otach, Ziva." He leaned towards the woman who had been his better half for so many years locking his lips on hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'd bet you didn't expect that twist at the end... so this is AU but also part of the 'You Complete Me' universe (and Tony's imagination!) Thanks for all of the kudos, and for just reading along.


End file.
